NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport

The Vault: Kane Williamson - Black Cap in waiting

NZ Herald
2 Mar, 2015 10:30 PM6 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

2003: Kane Williamson (centre holding bat) scored 70 not out, to lead his team, from Otumoetai Intermediate, to victory at the New Zealand Intermediate Cricket Champs. Photo / John Borren

2003: Kane Williamson (centre holding bat) scored 70 not out, to lead his team, from Otumoetai Intermediate, to victory at the New Zealand Intermediate Cricket Champs. Photo / John Borren

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Kane Williamson was the hero for the Black Caps on Saturday hitting the match-winning six to clinch a tense Cricket World Cup victory over Australia.

The 24-year-old has been in the Black Caps since 2010 and first featured on the radar of newspapers as far back as 2002 when he started to make a name as a promising young player in Tauranga.

Williamson, along with his twin brother Logan, featured in articles in the Bay of Plenty Times following strong performances in cricket, rugby and basketball.

Below are three pieces that stood out in the NZME. archives.

Kane a big hit with prized test bat

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Published 9/12/2003

By Kelly Exelby of the Bay of Plenty Times

It's every young cricketer's dream to pull on the silver fern and the baggy black cap of New Zealand.

Tauranga's Kane Williamson is well on his way to a brilliant sporting career - and he's using England cricketer Graham Thorpe's bat to get there.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Boasting a batting average of 42.4 in a decade-long test career that was revived this year, elegant left-hander Thorpe is one of cricket's most dogged fighters.

But even Thorpe would struggle to match the majestic deeds of 12-year-old Williamson.
Williamson led Bay of Plenty Coastlands to the Northern Districts under-14 title last week in Gisborne.

He amassed an incredible 420 runs in just four visits to the batting crease - pummelling unbeaten Bay of Plenty's opposition with scores of 101, 128no, 100no and 91no.

Tomorrow, Williamson leads Otumoetai Intermediate's first XI to their first national Milo Cup final in Palmerston North - a four-way fight to become New Zealand primary school champions.

Discover more

Cricket World Cup

Live: South Africa v Ireland

03 Mar 03:30 AM
Cricket World Cup

NZ will make final, Australia won't

03 Mar 02:00 AM

Williamson has struck a purple patch since he was given Thorpe's old Kookaburra test bat by former Canterbury player Bill Aldridge two months ago.

He warmed up for the ND tournament with scores of 106no, 71no and 65, with his unbeaten 71 coming in the eight-wicket win over Hawke's Bay's Hereworth Boys School in the Milo Cup zone final.

Thorpe's former test bat had been sitting around virtually unused for almost two years before Williamson picked it up.

Aldridge, father of Northern Districts allrounder Graeme, got the bat from Mount Maunganui's Jim Irwin.

Irwin had been given it by Ireland international and Surrey-contracted seamer Mark Patterson, who played for Mount two years ago.

"Mark got the bat off Thorpe (his Surrey teammate) when England were out here at the beginning of last year and gave it to Jimmy before he left,'' Aldridge said. "I was doing some work for Jimmy and he asked me if I knew anyone who might want it. Kane sprang instantly to mind.''

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Williamson is a prodigious sporting talent, excelling at basketball, volleyball and rugby.

Problem was, Williamson had just bought a new bat and was unsure whether he could handle a full-sized men's bat.

"It sat in my bag for a while because I thought it was too heavy and too big but now it's my lucky charm and I don't want to put it down. Now the new one's sitting in my bag.''

Williamson is a prodigious sporting talent, excelling at basketball, volleyball and rugby.

After a lifetime playing soccer, he and twin brother Logan switched to rugby this year.

In five games at the Bay of Plenty primary schools rugby tournament Kane scored 70 points, carrying Tauranga East to their first Tai Mitchell Shield win in 65 years. Rugby coach Danny Tauroa said at the time: "Kane's quite exceptional at anything he does. He has it all - he kicks, runs and defends ... sooner or later he'll have to chose between rugby, cricket, basketball, volleyball and whatever other sport he might happen to pick up along the way.''

Otumoetai Intermediate will take on Kings School (Auckland), Cobham Intermediate (Christchurch) and Wellersley Intermediate (Wellington) in Palmerston North.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Coach Rob Soffe said while Williamson was clearly gifted, scoring 349 runs in the five Milo Cup playoff games without being dismissed, it was a combined team effort that got them into the final.

"Kane's an outstanding player but the rest of the players around him do their bit too, especially in the field where our tight bowling and fielding has been a standout.''

"It's one of those groups of exceptional kids that come through every so often.''

- Bay of Plenty Times

***

Openers blitz rivals with 271-run stand

Published 4/12/2003

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Hamilton were left wondering what had hit them when they won the toss and sent Bay of Plenty Coastlands in to bat on day three of the Northern Districts under-14 cricket tournament in Gisborne.

Coastlands' opening pair of Kane Williamson and Doug Bracewell set about demolishing the much-vaunted Hamilton attack, each posting centuries, with the partnership broken only with the last ball of the match.

The astonishing 271-run stand saw Bracewell collect 106 while captain Williamson had his second successive ton in reaching 128 not out.

In reply, the Coastlands bowlers plundered the Hamilton batsmen to have them all out for just 98 runs in the 35th over.

Duncan Managh was the best of the Bay of Plenty bowlers with 3-19 while six other bowlers took a wicket apiece.

Coastlands were expected to be too strong for Thames Valley today, which would set up what could be the game of the tournament when the two Bay of Plenty sides meet tomorrow.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Bay of Plenty Lakelands bowlers played a significant role in their victory over Northland.

Batting first, Lakelands were dismissed for 127, with Daniel Fisher top-scoring with 23.
A feature of the batting was the performance of the tailenders, who added 39 runs after the side were struggling at 88-8.

A superb bowling performance wrapped the game up for the Bay of Plenty side when they dismissed Northland for 117.

Fisher also starred with the ball, taking 3-12, while James Fendall and Caleb Simpson each took two wickets.

Wicketkeeper Karl Timmins also had a sparkling game, taking four catches behind the stumps.

Results:
BOP Coastlands 271-1 (K Williamson 128no, D Bracewell 106; C Jamieson 1-39) defeated Hamilton 98 (D Managh 3-19, D Bracewell 1-5, Jesse Farnum 1-8, C Tozer 1-11).

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

- Bay of Plenty Times

Twins (L-R) Kane Williamson and Logan Williamson with the Tai Mitchell winning rugby team. - Jimmy Joe/Bay of Plenty Times

Bay score 13 tries in mismatch

Published: 4/12/2003

Rotorua's Andrew Walker scored three tries as Bay of Plenty Roller Mills primary schools rugby team overwhelmed King Country 79-0 at Mount Maunganui on Sunday.

Walker handled the firm conditions at Western Bay Finance Stadium with ease as BOP crossed for a total of 13 tries in the game.

Tauranga's Kane Williamson added seven conversions and try for a personal match total of 19 points.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Scorers:- Bay of Plenty 79 (Walker 3, Denim Paroa 2, Courtney Mita, Wihelm O'Brien, Warren Bush, Luke Willoughby, Himiona Mair, Williamson, Matthew Fraser, Michael Martin tries, Williamson 7 cons) King Country 0.

BOP Lakelands 127 (D Fisher 23, D Hudson 20, K Timmins 18; S Thornton 3-15) defeated Northland 117 (R Darkins 19, F Gallagher 19; D Fisher 3-12, J Fendall 2-15, C Simpson 2-28).

- Bay of Plenty Times

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Premium
All Blacks

Player ratings: The All Black debutant that impressed the most

05 Jul 09:55 AM
All Blacks

All Blacks hold on, end France losing streak to open 2025

05 Jul 09:19 AM
All Blacks

Recap: All Black beat France to begin 2025 campaign

05 Jul 07:57 AM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Premium
Player ratings: The All Black debutant that impressed the most

Player ratings: The All Black debutant that impressed the most

05 Jul 09:55 AM

How the players rated in the first test between the All Blacks and French.

All Blacks hold on, end France losing streak to open 2025

All Blacks hold on, end France losing streak to open 2025

05 Jul 09:19 AM
Recap: All Black beat France to begin 2025 campaign

Recap: All Black beat France to begin 2025 campaign

05 Jul 07:57 AM
Caitlyns Wish claims seventh win in Te Rapa sprint race

Caitlyns Wish claims seventh win in Te Rapa sprint race

05 Jul 06:26 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP